What a Day! Busy morning with meetings, followed by church and a rehearsal for the speeches etc! All of a sudden it was 1155 and I was on the door to 'meet and greet' our Grand Voyagers' to
ARCADIA'S Inaugural Grand Voyage Luncheon, which was the social event of the year!
Proper preparation is the key to success to any event - but then again this is NOT just ANY event! This is an ARCADIA EVENT................!
Staff Briefing.
Check the name place cards and see that everyone is where they should be ( all guests have received a personal letter and invitation to the event)
Double Check - Restaurant Manager, Ian North is checking that the glasses are SPARKLING and the silver is polished......
Now it is time for me to practise my Welcome speech.
Now it is time for me to practise my Welcome speech.
The receiving line are in place............
Start the Grand Piano Playing....
Now all that is left is for me to welcome our guests with a glass of champagne to this special event.....
I hope you will enjoy these pictures which capture the moments leading up to the doors opening in the Meridian Restaurant. My opening speech went well as I remembered my lines! It was my great pleasure to introduce the MASTER of ARCADIA and the COMMODORE of the P&O Cruises fleet - Commodore Steve Burgoine who gave a an most enjoyable and informative speech before the luncheon commenced.
My table companions have all agreed to be featured in the blog and I will post this picture soonest..........! However needless to say it was a most memorable occasion. My Food and Beverage Team did us proud.
At the end of the meal my team was around the Restaurant and as a special touch - those TNT's ( tiny noticeable things) we even sign the menus for our guests..........
Signed by,
Commodore Steve Burgoine
Chief Engineer Paul Clasby
Food & Beverage Manager Carl Luxford
Executive Chef Trevor Connolly
and of course myself!
You will notice this is part one, and because of the numbers we have split this event over two days, the next one being Tuesday 20th January. Part 2 will feature the Back of House and Galley Operation to this event.
Take care,
James
'A job worth doing is worth doing well'.
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6 comments:
Hi James, I notice nobody has commented yet on this wonderful lunch. Everyone is speechless. It is clearly a lovely event and must make all those grand voyagers feel very special.
I look forward to part two with a pic of the Commodore this time!!
Is the sea calm?
Regards
Judith
I feel that the fuss for the "Grand Voyagers" makes all other voyagers feel insignificant!So what if you are doing 101 nights or 10, everyone deserves some recognition.
Hopefully I will be treated just as importantly for my 52 night leg of the cruise as those that are going the whole hog.
Touch of the green eyed monster in the post above IMO! I have never felt anything but special on a P & O cruise and I've never done a worldie!
Anyway James, I am enjoying reading about Arcadia's grand voyage and looking forward to doing something like this myself one day. For now your blog and the webcams will have to do ;-(
Keep up the good work
Elaine Brady (aurorabore)!
Oh the glamour, it all looks wonderful and i'm interested to know what you decided on the menu. I bet it was fabulous.
In my (humble) opinion, the Grand Voyagers' Lunch is not intended to make other passengers feel insignificant, but to make the round the world passengers feel special - and quite rightly so!
Hi James,
Always knew you were born for the sea ! We are enjoying your blog, especially your little sayings. Here's one for you. "Having a taste for quality is having a taste for life." You're looking tanned and handsome!
From the Ballymena Belles!
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